Processing Time

Checklist update processing times vary with application volume. Near deadlines, submitted materials may take up to two weeks to appear as “received” in your applicant portal.

First-year Applicants

After completing your Cornell University Writing Supplement, go to My Colleges > Cornell University > “Review and Submit Writing Supplement”. Once you have reviewed this section, you will be prompted to pay the application fee by electronic payment. Cornell’s application fee is $85.

If paying the fee would present a financial burden, you may qualify for a fee waiver. To request one:

1. Review the Common App fee waiver eligibility criteria found in My Common Application > Profile > CommonApp Fee Waiver to confirm that you meet at least one of them.
2. Select “Yes” when asked, “Do you meet one or more of the Common Application fee waiver eligibility criteria?”
3. Provide your signature to complete the fee waiver request.
4. In My Colleges > Cornell University, at the bottom of the General section, there is a question: “Are you eligible for an application fee waiver?”  Respond to this question  with Yes, I am eligible for a fee waiver as outlined in the profile section of the Common Application.”
5. Answer questions found in the My Colleges > Cornell University > Additional Fee Waiver Eligibility section.

If your fee waiver request is approved, a grey checkmark will appear next to the application fee item in your applicant status portal.
 

Transfer Applicants

Applications must be submitted with the $85 application fee or fee waiver in order to be considered. Submitting the application and the $85 online fee or the transfer fee waiver begins the transfer admission process and should be done as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Please note that Cornell cannot process your transfer application without the $85 application fee or a transfer fee waiver. When you apply online, you must submit the application fee online, or you must mark the box indicating you are requesting a waiver.

Cornell is proud to serve students from all economic backgrounds. If submitting our application fee would result in a financial hardship for your family, you can apply for an application fee waiver by following the instructions on the Common Application AND submitting the NACAC Fee Waiver Form or a letter from a transfer advisor, the financial aid office at your current college/university, or a representative of a social service/community agency stating that the fee would cause financial hardship. Submissions can be sent by mail, or by email to admissions@cornell.edu.

For information on how to submit other materials for your application, please visit Application Material Submission Instructions.